An expanded urban area of Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 12: Lack of co-ordination between the revenue and the housing and urban development departments has confused real estate developers in the city.

On one hand, areas under the comprehensive development plan of the Bhubaneswar Development Authority are steadily increasing. However, on the other, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation’s failure to take the new areas into its fold and the revenue department’s inability to take into account the plan adopted by the housing and urban development department are making things difficult for the real estate developers who plan to invest around Rs 2,500 crore.

“There is a lack of direction in the urbanisation process,” said president of Odisha chapter of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (Credai) D.S. Tripathy. The organisation has suggested that the Odisha government should ask the development authority to build roads and bridges around the city and create land bank for developers, so that people can have housing schemes that suit their pockets.

Inclusion of areas developed by the development authority, such as Kalinga Vihar, into the fold of the civic body has also been stalled as people in three gram panchayats are not willing to be part of the civic area.

“This is causing confusion to the city planning mechanism. The administration should expedite the urbanisation process. If a government-sponsored project is caught in such a limbo, you can think of the private builders, who are coming up with new projects on the outskirts,” said Master Apollo, a resident of Kalinga Vihar.

The Credai members alleged that the development authority handed over land to various public-private partners to increase its bank balance. They also alleged that the Odisha State Housing Board was against the mandate to supply affordable houses for the people.

A Credai member said: “If the two major government organisations are executing projects through consultants, what is the difference between a private builder and them? It also contributes towards increasing property prices in the city.” The Credai plans to showcase some affordable housing plans at its property expo, which will be held here from January 19 to 21.